Flights to Birmingham

Creativity and invention are in Birmingham’s DNA. At the height of the industrial revolution the English city was known as the ‘workshop of the world’, and it registered three times as many patents as any other city. Catching flights to Birmingham will take you to the city that gave the world the modern steam engine, Cadbury’s chocolate, lawn tennis, HP Sauce, the Mini, Dunlop tyres, the first professional football league, Brylcreem and lots more.

Today, as one of the youngest cities in Europe, Brum, as it’s affectionately known, continues to re-invent itself. It’s packed with cultural attractions, from historic sights such as the Grade I listed Jacobean mansion Aston Hall, to Villa Park – home of Aston Villa Football Club. Then there are the world-class acoustics of Symphony Hall and the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Hippodrome Theatre.

It’s a city on the up, as you can see from its acres of green spaces and miles of rejuvenated canals leading to the stunning new Library of Birmingham and the modernist structure of the Selfridges building at the iconic Bullring shopping centre. In fact, Brum is one of the top destinations for shopping in the UK, with an eclectic retail scene that ranges from the renowned Jewellery Quarter to its exclusive mall, The Mailbox.

You’ll want to save some of your pennies for Birmingham’s food and drink too, and the diverse dining scene that reflects the city’s cosmopolitan population. There’s everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to a vibrant street-food culture. Add a thriving network of independent coffee shops and it’s clear that Birmingham is a culinary force to be reckoned with.

Each of Brum’s eclectic neighbourhoods has something to offer. In post-industrial Digbeth you’ll find a vibrant creative community, trendy Moseley has more of an indie vibe, and King’s Heath is pure suburbia. And at the heart of Birmingham’s appeal are the good-humoured, down-to-earth ‘Brummies’.

What to do in Birmingham

Join Digbeth Dining Club

Birmingham’s street food scene has taken off in the past few years with the arrival of Digbeth Dining Club. Every Friday, hungry revellers congregate under the blackened railway arches of the city’s creative quarter to enjoy street food from a roster of food trucks, from The Meat Shack to Buddha Belly.

Take the Tolkien trail

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit author JRR Tolkien was inspired by his childhood in Birmingham. Of his old haunts, idyllic Sarehole Mill is now a museum, and the Moseley Bog Nature Reserve is a true hidden gem. Nearer the city centre, Perrott’s Folly and the Edgbaston Waterworks tower inspired The Two Towers.

Explore the Jewellery Quarter

As well as boasting 200 listed buildings, Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter has Europe’s biggest concentration of jewellery businesses, making over 40 per cent of all the jewellery in Britain. At the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, you’ll learn that items made here include the original FA Cup trophy and the silver whistles used on the Titanic.

Where to eat in Birmingham

Adam’s (Modern British)

The fourth Birmingham restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star, this former pop-up has now expanded to three floors near Waterloo Street. The new premises have a 12-seater Chef’s Table located within the kitchen environment. Its starters alone will get you raving, but the tasting menus are also excellent.

Sushi Passion (Japanese)

A true Birmingham success story, this sushi restaurant (owned by Polish chef Adam Glamacinski), has upgraded from a small stall at the Bullring market to a quirky new space in a Victorian arcade. A model train set delivers your food.

31 Great Western Arcade
Colmore Row
B2 5HU
+44 121 238 2933

Purnell’s (Modern British)

Self-proclaimed ‘Yummy Brummie’ Glynn Purnell presents Michelin-starred food with a playful twist at this redbrick restaurant in the heart of the city’s financial district. Brought up on a Birmingham council estate, Purnell litters his menu with cheeky references to his childhood, and the food is first class.

55 Cornwall Street
B3 2DH
+44 121 212 9799

Places to stay in Birmingham

Hotel Du Vin

Built in 1884, the grand Victorian redbrick building that was once Birmingham’s eye hospital is now home to a luxury four-star hotel. Inside you’ll see wrought iron staircases, imposing granite pillars, a bistro and lounge. Right on the doorstep there’s also the independent Urban Coffee Company and Michelin-starred restaurant Purnell’s.

25 Church Street
B3 2NR
+44 12 179 43005

Hotel La Tour

Overlooking Birmingham’s regenerated Eastside and its public park, plus the Thinktank Science Museum and historic Curzon Street Station (the oldest railway terminus in the world), Hotel La Tour is also within walking distance of the Bullring shopping centre. Rooms are contemporary and comfortable, and Marco Pierre White’s first ‘English Chophouse’ is well worth staying for.

Albert Street
B5 5JE
+44 121 718 8000

The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel

With six luxurious rooms and three lounges, this boutique hotel in leafy Edgbaston sets the standard for understated luxury in Birmingham. Housed in an impressive Victorian townhouse built in 1847, it accompanies Michelin-starred restaurant Simpson’s in a quiet street just a short walk from the Botanical Gardens.

18 Highfield Road
B15 3DU
+44 121 454 5212

Plan your trip

Rent a car

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